Man­age­ment approach

Just under 6.2 million people use a mobile connection from Swisscom. Today, our cus­tomers transmit over 200 times more data than in 2010. This is only possible with continuous modernisation and expansion (see ‘Net­work and in­fra­struc­ture’). Some sections of the population are voicing health concerns about the elec­tro­mag­netic fields which carry the mobile com­mu­ni­ca­tions. The signals emitted from mobile phone antennas have been the subject of scientific research for over 30 years. No negative effects on organisms have been detected below the in­ter­na­tionally applicable limits. Most scientists therefore consider such concerns unfounded. However, there are still open questions, and we are sup­port­ing the research that seeks to answer them.

We always take the concerns of the population seriously. We employ specialists from the fields of research, tech­nol­ogy and com­mu­ni­ca­tions to help us act as a competent, trustworthy and reliable player. Our team of experts has direct access to senior management and reports to a committee of the Group Executive Board on a bi-monthly basis.

The aim of our efforts is to increase acceptance of the mobile com­mu­ni­ca­tions in­fra­struc­ture. To this end, we consider it essential to impart knowl­edge, clarify mis­un­der­stand­ings and counteract untruths. This is done in personal correspondence, by tele­phone and often in direct conversation with people and stakeholder groups but also in the form of holistically coordinated corporate com­mu­ni­ca­tion. We also attach great im­por­tance to promoting high-quality research in order to clarify out­stand­ing issues relating to mobile com­mu­ni­ca­tions, society and the en­vi­ron­ment. In particular, we support the Swiss Research Foundation for Electricity and Mobile Com­mu­ni­ca­tion (FSM) based at the Federal Institute of Tech­nol­ogy in Zurich (ETH Zurich).

Memberships and partnerships

We work with various partners at national and in­ter­na­tional level on a project-specific basis in order to further develop our strategic priorities. In choosing our partnerships and memberships, we attempt to ensure that the relevant institutions ideally complement our company in terms of their professional competence and thus make an im­por­tant contribution to the achieve­ment of our strategy. They must also share our values and have an excellent reputation and a high level of credibility in their area of activity.

Our sponsoring activities are spread across all regions of Switzer­land and aimed at a wide range of stakeholder groups. Since 2022, Swisscom has also been a partner of many of the country’s most popular music festivals.

Actor in public debates

In the representation of our interests, we follow a solution-oriented approach, both for the common good and in the interests of our company. We are committed to main­tain­ing transparent and trusting relationships with politicians, public au­thor­i­ties and the community. We participate in public hearings and events and play our part in the political process. In line with our own anti-corruption directive and based on the relevant ethical codes (the Code of Lisbon and the Code of Professional Conduct of the Swiss Society of Public Affairs, SSPA), we reject unlawful or ethically questionable practices aimed at exerting influence on opinion leaders and decision-makers. Moreover, we are a non-denominational and politically neutral organisation and we do not support any parties financially. An internal ethics board assesses planned projects and services for compatibility with ethical principles (see ‘Corporate ethics’).

We maintain contact with the European Telecom­mu­ni­ca­tions Net­work Operators’ Association (ETNO), national politicians, au­thor­i­ties and as­so­ci­a­tions in all regions of Switzer­land. First and foremost, we provide in­for­ma­tion on in­fra­struc­ture and security issues, on the necessary framework conditions in line with our corporate strategy and on our engagements.

As a re­spon­si­ble corporate citizen, we contribute both with planned projects and services as well as professionally, to public discussions in particular on the topics of education policy, digitisation, mobile com­mu­ni­ca­tions and broad­band expansion and basic service provision.

Con­sul­ta­tions

During the year under review, as in previous financial years, we submitted statements as part of numerous con­sul­ta­tions at federal level. In the context of the current political deliberations, the im­ple­men­ta­tion of the motions with the same wording Caroni (Mo 20.3531) and Rieder (Mo 20.3532) ‘Fair competition vis-à-vis state-owned enterprises’ and the postulate ‘Federal high-bandwidth strategy’ are of increased im­por­tance to us. We also had our views heard in the context of the changes to basic service provision, the proposed partial revision of the Cartel Act (CartA) and on the eID (Federal Act on Electronic Proof of Identity and other Electronic Proofs, e-ID Act).

Data protection

Swisscom attaches great im­por­tance to the legally compliant and re­spon­si­ble processing of personal data and confidential in­for­ma­tion. Swisscom operates a management system for data protection and confidentiality that applies in­ter­na­tionally recog­nised standards and norms. In addition, Swisscom maintains a framework for data ethics that allows the clarification of ethical issues in connection with the processing of data or the use of new tech­nolo­gies.

The new Data Protection Act (DPA) will come into force on 1 September 2023. Swisscom will review existing mea­sures for the protection of personal data for compliance with the new re­quire­ments and will make any necessary adjustments.

Swisscom also processes personal data in order to be able to provide cus­tomers with advertising or services that are individualised, targeted and better tailored to their needs. Swisscom creates customer segments or customer profiles to that end. Cus­tomers’ personal data is also made available to advertising marketing com­pa­nies in aggregated form for the purpose of target group-based advertising. Cus­tomers may object to the receipt of advertising and the processing of their personal data for marketing and advertising purposes. Swisscom has im­ple­mented technical and organisational mea­sures in order to comply with applicable legal provisions.

In the year under review, Swisscom did not conduct any legal or ad­min­is­tra­tive proceedings in the area of customer data protection or confidentiality. Swisscom complies with its legal obligations with regard to the surveillance of postal and telecom­mu­ni­ca­tions traffic.